The Real Memphis Mike (don't settle for imitations)

Tomorrow afternoon, I'll be going to the funeral home to pay my last respects to a former client; a most interesting guy, to be sure! I was lucky enough to know and work with this man for over a dozen years. He could be moody, a bully, a sweetheart, a clown...in short, he was a regular guy. He had his good and bad days just like everyone else. He also happened to have Downs Syndrome. His name was David. David was just a few years older than me and our birthdays were just weeks apart, so that gave us some similar points of reference. He had an infectious laugh and his own unique sense of humor and style. For a large man, he loved to dance! He would literally spin himself in time with the music and few people have ever enjoyed music quite the way he did. David's appetites in life were voracious. He loved food, he loved his friends and most of all, he loved his Super Powers. His "super powers" were large markers that he would occasionally talk to. While this may sound od...

It's time for more of my whacky numbers...numbers that you might not have given much thought to. The average member of the US House of Representatives & Senate "earns" an annual salary of $174,00. The Majority and Minority leaders "earn" $193,00. The Speaker of the House "earns" $223,500. Add up these numbers. Then there are pensions: Members of Congress are eligible for a pension at age 62 if they have completed at least five years of service. They are eligible for a pension at age 50 if they have completed 20 years of service, or at any age after completing 25 years of service. The amount of the pension depends on years of service and the average of the highest three years of salary. By law, the starting amount of a member’s retirement annuity may not exceed 80 percent of his or her final salary. As of October 1, 2000, the average annual pension for members of Congress who have retired is between $52,464, and $46,932. I haven't been able to a...

Nothing really new here...but sometimes we all need a reminder. One is only insignificent if one refuses to live the life they have been given. Change is as constant as time. One must be willing to make change. One must be willing to be effected by change. If life isn't going the way you want it to, change it. Hate your job? Go find a new one. If your environment disagrees with you, move. Let no one rule you but yourself and your own judgement. Don't accept second place. If you fail, assess the failure and fix what needs fixed. It's better to try and fail than to not even bother. The smallest stone can cause a ripple. A microscopic germ can wipe out a nation. Drops of water can erode a mountain. Smiles, like yawns, are contagious. Known when enough is enough. Stand up for something. Treat your enemies well. You created them. Do right because it IS right. There is humor to all things. Find it. More to come.....